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Nuclear Innovation company Nuclear Promise X (NPX) and the Canadian Nuclear Isotope Council (CNIC) are collaborating to explore the feasibility of producing isotopes for possible use in deep space exploration applications. NPX and CNIC will undertake a study for the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) to determine whether Canadian nuclear reactors and research reactors can be used to produce isotopes to power devices used in space exploration.
- Source: NEI Magazine
- Date: Thursday, 11 January 2024
- Original article: neimagazine.com/news/newscanada-explores-use-of-isotopes-used-in-space-exploration-11426536
The Canadian Nuclear Isotope Council (CNIC) and nuclear innovation company Nuclear Promise X (NPX) will explore the feasibility of using Canadian nuclear reactors to produce plutonium-238 (Pu-238) for use in deep space exploration.
- Source: World Nuclear News
- Date: Saturday, 06 January 2024
- Original article: world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Canadian-collaboration-to-explore-isotope-producti
The shipment earlier this year of heat source plutonium-238 from the US Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) to its Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) represents a critical step toward fuelling planned space missions with radioisotope power systems, NASA had said.
- Source: NEI Magazine
- Date: Thursday, 30 November 2023
- Original article: neimagazine.com/news/newsnasa-moves-closer-to-use-of-plutonium-238-to-power-space-missions-11335593
France’s Framatome has announced the launch of Framatome Space “putting its 65 years of nuclear and industrial expertise at the service of the space industry”. Framatome CEO Bernard Fontana said the company is proud to be part of the new age of space travel. “We already supply the space industry with domes for the tanks of launchers and hafnium for the hardened alloys for spacecraft. With the creation of Framatome Space we are taking things to the next level,” he noted, “The space industry is looking to nuclear to facilitate faster and more efficient missions. Who better than Framatome, with over six decades of experience and expertise in nuclear power, to contribute to the next giant leap for mankind?”
- Source: NEI Magazine
- Date: Thursday, 26 October 2023
- Original article: neimagazine.com/news/newsframatome-launches-framatome-space-11242883
Contracts also signed by companies in US
- Source: Nucnet
- Date: Saturday, 21 October 2023
- Original article: nucnet.org/news/framatome-launches-new-brand-in-bid-to-play-decisive-role-10-5-2023
US-based BWX Technologies (BWXT) has been contracted to develop the reactor and fuel for the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency’s (DARPA’s) Demonstration Rocket for Agile Cislunar Operations (DRACO), which will use nuclear thermal propulsion. As part of a team led by Lockheed Martin, BWXT Advanced Technologies is to complete final design of the nuclear reactor, manufacture the reactor’s hardware and fuel, assemble the components and deliver the fuelled reactor as a complete subsystem.
- Source: NEI Magazine
- Date: Wednesday, 16 August 2023
- Original article: neimagazine.com/news/newsbwxt-reactor-and-fuel-selected-for-darpa-space-project-11074621
The USA's Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has finalised an agreement with Lockheed Martin to begin work on the fabrication and design of an experimental nuclear thermal rocket and its engine. BWX Technologies, one of Lockheed Martin's partners in the effort, will develop the nuclear reactor and fabricate the HALEU fuel.
- Source: World Nuclear News
- Date: Thursday, 27 July 2023
- Original article: world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/BWXT-to-begin-work-on-DRACO-engine-and-fuel
The US Department of Energy (DOE) has shipped 0.5 kilograms of heat source plutonium oxide from Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) to Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL). It will support future NASA deep space missions that rely on radioisotope power systems, such as the upcoming Dragonfly mission. Dragonfly will be powered by a radioisotope power system called a Multi-Mission Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator.
- Source: NEI Magazine
- Date: Saturday, 22 July 2023
- Original article: neimagazine.com/news/newsus-doe-delivers-plutonium-238-for-nasa-missions-11021754
UK-based Pulsar Fusion has entered into a partnership with US Princeton Satellite Systems (PSS) to apply machine learning to study data from the Princeton field-reverse configuration (PFRC-2) reactor. The aim is to advance delivery of practical fusion propelled spacecraft that can make interstellar space travel practical.
- Source: NEI Magazine
- Date: Saturday, 17 June 2023
- Original article: neimagazine.com/news/newstransatlantic-partnership-to-advance-interstellar-fusion-travel-10946500
US-based Westinghouse Electric Company and Astrobotic have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to explore collaboration on space technology programmes for NASA and the Department of Defense. The focus will be on space nuclear technology and delivery systems and will also include strengthening the space nuclear supply chain and workforce in the Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia regions.
- Source: NEI Magazine
- Date: Thursday, 08 June 2023
- Original article: neimagazine.com/news/newswestinghouse-and-astrobotic-to-collaborate-on-space-technology-10918933